5th October 2008
Last Monday marked the twenty ninth anniversary of the historic visit of the late Pope John Paul II to our Country. Those days are still fresh in the minds of all those who went to see him especially in the Phoenix park. There was something so holy about that day; so many people felt the closeness of God as the Papal Plane came into view. In the few days he spent here the Pope spoke of Ireland as being 'ever faithful'. He spoke also of the dangers that lay ahead and he prayed that the Irish people would cherish the faith which they refused to surrender in poverty and persecution. However like the Prophets of old the pope's words were soon forgotten.
The Archbishop spoke during the week about the downturn in the economy. He said that he did not welcome it because it would affect the poor much more than the rich. The recession though will hopefully allow people to get real once again in relation to expectations which they may have had. In the years of the Celtic Tiger the baby was literally thrown out with the bathwater. People became very individualistic; the shopping centres became and still are Modern Day Basilicas where the worship of money took over the worship of God. If you go into any shopping centre on any Sunday you will see it crammed to capacity with people bored as it were with life. Years ago people shopped out of necessity, now they shop just for something to do. We have become strangers to our neighbours, strangers even to ourselves. We can't seem to cope any more with silence, or just staying at home, we have to be constantly on the move.
There is already talk about Pope Benedict coming to visit Ireland and to complete the first visit of his predecessor who sadly was unable to go to Northern Ireland. If he comes he will come to an Ireland thankfully at peace after so many years of violence. However he will also come to an Ireland that has lost much of its Christian character, an Ireland in which secularism stalks the land. We probably need a reminder that Christ is and needs to be the corner stone of everything we say and do and that the time has come for the Church to once more take a stand and be counted, a time to be brave in presenting the truths of the gospel and the demands it makes of all who profess to follow it. Amen.
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Homilies Archive
2009 HOMILIES
25th December 2008
Christmas
21st December 2008
14th December 2008
8th December 2008
Immaculate Conception
7th December 2008
2nd Sunday of Advent
30th November 2008
1st Sunday of Advent
23rd November 2008
Christ the King
16th November 2008
2nd November 2008
All Souls
1st November 2008
All Saints
26th October 2008
12th October 2008
5th October 2008
28th September 2008
21st September 2008
14th September 2008
7th September 2008
31st August 2008
24th August 2008
17th August 2008
15th August 2008
Assumption
10th August 2008
3rd August 2008
20th July 2008
13th July 2008
29th June 2008
22nd June 2008
1st June 2008
23rd March 2008
Easter Sunday
22nd March 2008
Easter Vigil
2nd March 2008
24th February 2008
17th February 2008
10th February 2008
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